BOSTON (CBS) – Eating out is entertainment for Americans. Over 50% of our food budget is for food prepared for us.

Saving More On Eating Out

And I am as guilty as everyone else here. I love to eat out! The best things I make in the summer are reservations. So I am always on the lookout for coupons, early bird specials, two for the price of one specials.

Try the Entertainment book that is published for the area you live in. There are discounts on eating out as well as entertainment, shopping and travel.

Try www.restaurants.com which is one of my favorite sites, where you can buy a dining certificate worth $10 for $4 or a $25 certificate for $10. Right now Turner Fisheries restaurant in Boston is available.

And right here on our website you can get a good deal using the CBS Local Offers. I bought a $30 restaurant certificate for $15 for Piccadilly Pub, which I plan to give to my niece.

There is also Groupon, which is a new website where a discount is offered and if enough people buy in its successful. You do have to sign up and they send out a daily e-mail with other sales as well.

Then Living Social. Again a daily e-mail if you like with deals for restaurants and other stuff. I got a coupon worth $20 for $10 for a pizza at the Upper Crust.

With Double Take Deals, you can get more local deals. I recently bought a $30 certificate for $15 for Sweet Bites, a bakery and café in Acton. I am saving it for a birthday cake surprise this summer. Again, you will have to give them your e-mail.

Don’t want to get so many e-mails, try District Finds, which sorts through all of the websites that I have mentioned and more and sends you one e-mail each day, but it is late in the day.

And for something upscale try Gilt City. My sister-in-law just bought tickets for a dinner at Applecrest Farms in NH prepared by chef Mary Dumont. Dumont is the chef over at Harvest restaurant in Cambridge. The dinner is set in an orchard and you get to meet the chef.

Look to the restaurants themselves and get on their e-mail lists and they will send you coupons. Every year Not Your Average Joe’s sends me a birthday present. A coupon for one free entree and one dessert big enough to share. Also Bertucci’s, Olive garden, Pizzeria Uno, and Buca di Beppo send me coupons to use.